Oil spill fear as MV Rena breaks up on New Zealand reef

A container ship that has been stranded on a New Zealand reef since October has split in two in a severe storm, raising fears of a fresh oil spill.

When the Rena ran aground on the Astrolabe Reef, hundreds of tonnes of oil were washed on to beaches, killing thousands of birds.

Ross Henderson from Maritime New Zealand told the BBC that response teams are ready to deal with oil spills and container hazards resulting from the damage.